


candy on your lips (just can't resist)

by orphan_account



Category: K-pop, VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Sanghyuk is very very cute, Taekwoon's here if you squint, Tsundere Hongbin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-20 23:08:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13727943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: moving in with a hot culinary major might've been the best decision of sanghyuk's life.





	candy on your lips (just can't resist)

**Author's Note:**

> i'm no expert at gastronomy/cooking so apologies for inaccuracies. please enjoy this late valentine's day gift <3

In the end, Sanghyuk had to thank Wonshik for everything that happened.

It was because of  _ that fateful day _ , when Sanghyuk had been ranting for the third time that day about his roommate. His insufferable, horrible, unhygienic roommate who left his shit all over the floor and insulted Sanghyuk’s gaming choices on the daily. As a joke, because of course. 

Not to mention that Sanghyuk got sexiled from the room at least three times a week, minimum. His roommate didn’t even bother to text him anymore, and he really didn’t need to. All Sanghyuk had to do was climb up the stairs to their dorm hallway to hear the crescending, unbridled moans from his room. He wasn’t even traumatized anymore. He’d simply turned tail and went to camp out in Wonshik’s single dorm, as he had done for the past three months.

“I don’t fucking understand.” Sanghyuk had groaned, banging his head against the wall and letting it stay there. “I’ve never done anything to him. To anyone. What did I do to deserve this.”

And instead of Wonshik’s usual sympathetic hums and words of comfort, he’d stayed silent. Thinking.

“Actually,” He’d said. That was enough for Sanghyuk to lift his head. That’d been new. Wonshik usually kept his vocabulary during those vents limited to “it’s okay” and “what an asshole”. 

“Actually what?” Sanghyuk treaded carefully, noting the thoughtful expression on Wonshik’s face.

“Well, you know my friend Taekwoon? The chef in the city?” Wonshik had said. Of course Sanghyuk knew Taekwoon. Wonshik had dragged him over to Taekwoon’s ridiculously expensive restaurant in Itaewon time and time again. And Taekwoon had fed them for free each time, because Sanghyuk’s life insurance would have actually collapsed if he’d tried to even pay for one dish. 

“Yeah,” Sanghyuk croaked. What did Taekwoon have to do with this?

“Well,” Wonshik said, rubbing his chin, spectacles low on his nose. “Taekwoon told me that he heard from his friend, Cha Hakyeon-”

“The  _ YouTuber?”  _ Sanghyuk had almost brained himself on the wall in his eagerness to scramble out of his huddle on Wonshik’s bed. “He’s friends with Cha Hakyeon the  _ YouTuber?” _

Wonshik had raised an eyebrow. “Is he famous or something?”

Wonshik’s unfortunate tendency to live under a fucking rock had, sadly, rendered him ignorant to the mindless amusements of YouTube. Because Cha Hakyeon was a fucking  _ godlike  _ dancer who posted videos from his studio of new choreographies every week. Cha Hakyeon had popped up in his recommended one day, and Sanghyuk had watched one video -  _ one -  _ before becoming hopelessly hooked.

Not to mention that Hakyeon lived Sanghyuk’s  _ dream  _ life. Sanghyuk had always scorned vloggers, but he had caved when Hakyeon had opened a new vlogging channel. Because Hakyeon had some luxury flat in the shopping district of Gangnam and had two dogs (two adorable toy poodles, no less) and a sneaker collection that Sanghyuk could only dream of. Not to mention Hakyeon’s boyfriend of five years, some cute baking whiz named Jaehwan, whose sugary creations always made a special feature in Hakyeon’s vlogs. Sanghyuk’s mouth watered just  _ thinking  _ about the macaroons that had appeared in the last video. They’d met in high school and had stayed together since, and it took an idiot not to see how head over heels they were for each other, still.

Even Hakyeon’s love life was picture perfect.

Okay. So maybe Sanghyuk was a little bit of Cha Hakyeon’s fan.

“Hello? Earth to Sanghyuk.” Wonshik’s voice pulled him from his reverie as Sanghyuk grinned apologetically.

“Uh, sorry. You were saying?”

Wonshik scoffed, not in a scathing way. “I was  _ saying,  _ the apparently famous Hakyeon has a boyfriend named Jaehwan —” (Sanghyuk bit back his “ _ I know”)  _ —-and Jaehwan has a friend named Lee Hongbin who’s also his classmate at some culinary institute.” 

Sanghyuk gave Wonshik a confused look. “And…?”

“ _ And _ , if I recall correctly, Hongbin lives alone in an apartment not far from campus, actually. And Hongbin asked Jaehwan, who asked Hakyeon, who asked Taekwoon, who asked  _ me _ —”

“Jesus Christ, Wonshik.” Sanghyuk said, head hurting.

Wonshik chuckled. “The point is, Taekwoon gave me Hongbin’s e-mail to give to anyone who’s interested, because Hongbin’s looking for a roommate—”

Sanghyuk had never moved so fast. In seconds, he was looking over Wonshik with an almost hysteric enthusiasm in his face. Wonshik looked up at him with concern and maybe a little bit of fear. 

“Er, I’m guessing you’re interested?” Wonshik chanced.

The delighted grin, full of unbounded hope, was almost unsettling on Sanghyuk’s face. “You’re damn right I am.”

* * *

 

**To: Lee Hongbin (** [ **93leehb_@hanmail.com** ](mailto:93leehb_@hanmail.com) **)**

**From: Han Sanghyuk (** [ **shyogih@hanmail.com** ](mailto:shyogih@hanmail.com) **)**

**Subject: Roommate**

Hello! Kim Wonshik gave me your e-mail because he said you were looking for a roommate? (He’s friends with Taekwoon).

I’m Han Sanghyuk! I’m a second year at Hansung University (which is only a few minutes’ walk from your school, I think) and I’m majoring in computer system & software engineering. I’m working part-time at my school’s convenience store which isn’t much, but I’m sure I can split the rent. I do a computer repair service as a freelance gig and it pays alright.

If you’re interested, please reply! We can set up dates if you want to speak in person and show me around, if you want. 

Hope you consider! 

-Han Sanghyuk

* * *

 

**To: Han Sanghyuk (** [ **shyogih@hanmail.com** ](mailto:shyogih@hanmail.com) **)**

**From: Lee Hongbin (** [ **93leehb_@hanmail.com** ](mailto:93leehb_@hanmail.com) **)**

**Subject: Re: Roommate**

Nice to meet you. No need for an interview. First off, I just need to know if you’re allergic to dogs.

-LHB

* * *

 

**To: Lee Hongbin (** [ **93leehb_@hanmail.com** ](mailto:93leehb_@hanmail.com) **)**

**From: Han Sanghyuk (** [ **shyogih@hanmail.com** ](mailto:shyogih@hanmail.com) **)**

**Subject: Re: Re Roommate**

No interview? Are you sure? Or anything about looking around the apartment or whatever?

And no, I’m not allergic to dogs. I had a dog back home!

-Han Sanghyuk

* * *

 

**To: Han Sanghyuk (** [ **shyogih@hanmail.com** ](mailto:shyogih@hanmail.com) **)**

**From: Lee Hongbin (** [ **93leehb_@hanmail.com** ](mailto:93leehb_@hanmail.com) **)**

**Subject: Re: Re: Re: Roommate**

Great. The room’s yours. Here’s some pictures of the apartment. If you like it, let me know when you can move in. I suggest that if you’re set, you start packing ASAP. 

-LHB

PS: Don’t worry about the rent. Just give what you can. I’ll cover the rest.

* * *

 

Sanghyuk only needed to take one look at the pictures of the spacious and tidy flat — not to mention  _ don’t worry about the rent  _ — to make up his mind. 

(In retrospect, he should’ve been a bit more suspicious about the guy being so willing to take Sanghyuk in. But Sanghyuk had been too eager to escape his roommate that all precaution had been thrown out the window.

Besides, any friend (or at least, friend of a friend of a friend) of Wonshik’s was a friend of Sanghyuk’s.)

* * *

 

“That’s fucking lame.” Hongbin vetoed the idea immediately, glaring at his stupid best friend. “He’s gonna think I’m a wuss.”

“Making a welcome cake for your new roommate is being a  _ wuss? _ ” Jaehwan said with mock horror, eyes going wide. “What am I, then?”

“A wuss.” Hongbin said flatly.

Jaehwan pouted. With his round glasses and sea green tinted hair, he looked like a mutated owl. Hongbin snickered at the thought.

“Listen, Binnie. He already knows you’re a cooking dude, might as well make him a cake. It’ll be nice!” Jaehwan beamed at Hongbin, who stared back blankly.

“I don’t bake cakes.” He said slowly.

“But I do.” Jaehwan replied, imitating Hongbin’s tone. “So I’ll help you.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“ _ No.” _

“C’mon Bin, be a nice person.”

“I give him a home to live in. I think that’s nice enough.” Hongbin said.

And yet he found himself an hour and a half later wanting to strangle the self-satisfied smirk off of Jaehwan’s face. But there was no taking back the impeccably made  _ sachertorte _ on the gleaming kitchen island, the words  _ Welcome  _ written in white chocolate atop the dark icing (courtesy of Jaehwan). Jaehwan had even taken special care to arrange dark chocolate truffles in a ring on top of the cake.

“I can’t believe you convinced me to do this,” Hongbin huffed, brushing the thin film of flour from his sweater. A cloud of white descended into the air and hung there precariously. Jaehwan sneezed into his sleeve, mindful of the cake.

“Well, like you requested, I did something simple but sweet.” Jaehwan said defensively. “I could’ve done  _ the most,  _ but I’m a good friend, so I didn’t.” He frowned, then. “I hope he’s not allergic to apricots.”

“Not my problem.” Hongbin said, turning around to woefully gaze at the mountain of dishes in his sink. “This is why I don’t fucking cook at home, you moron.”

“ _ Language.  _ And boohoo, it’ll take you thirty minutes, tops.” 

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t.”

Hongbin glared at Jaehwan until the latter raised his hands in defense. “Hey, you’re the one that’s stupid rich and only wanted a roommate so they could babysit your dog while you’re away. Stupid reason, by the way, because you don’t even own a dog yet.”

“I  _ will. _ ” Hongbin said stubbornly, crossing his arms. “That’s why I got a roommate first. And made sure that he’s not allergic.”

Jaehwan muttered something along the lines of  _ rich people _ before looking back up at Hongbin. “I’m surprised he went along with it. Considering that you acted hella shady about the whole thing.”

“Shady how?”

“I don’t know, maybe the fact that you immediately offer for him to live with you after only asking if he’s allergic to dogs. What the fuck, Bin.”

Hongbin gave Jaehwan a puzzled look. “I sent him pictures of the apartment, didn’t I?”

Jaehwan looked physically pained. “That’s not how it works —”

But then Jaehwan’s thought was cut off abruptly by the suddenly knocking on the door, accompanied by the  _ beeeeep  _ of the doorbell. 

“He’s  _ here?”  _ Hongbin gasped, eyes going wide.

“He’s here!” Jaehwan cheered, making a run for the front door before Hongbin could catch him. Hongbin’s fist closed around empty air instead of the collar of Jaehwan’s t-shirt.

“No — Jaehwan, don’t —”

“Welcome to Hongbin’s house!” He heard Jaehwan say cheerfully from the front door, and Hongbin wondered if it was too late to curl up inside the cabinets and die. His sweater was still flecked with flour from getting a little too excited with the sifter and he hadn’t even combed his hair yet — how had he lost track of time so easily —

“You’re Jaehwan!” A surprisingly husky baritone voice exclaimed in surprise. “From Cha Hakyeon’s YouTube channel, right?”

Oh God. Jaehwan would never let this moment die.

“You know him? You know  _ me?”  _ Yep, Hongbin could already hear the shit-eating grin in Jaehwan’s delighted tone.  _ Think of the dog. Think of the dog. _

“Binnie, your new roommate’s a fan of Hakyeonnie!  _ And  _ he’s cute!” Jaehwan crowed. Hongbin hurriedly ran his fingers through his hair while recomposing himself, letting a bored expression slide over his face.

“Sorry about Jaehwan. He’s my friend.” Hongbin said as Jaehwan towed the new roommate over. “I’m—”

Oh.

_ Oh. _

Hongbin blinked. Blinked again. Squinted.

Because for once, Jaehwan was right.

New Roommate was  _ cute. _

And New Roommate was currently smiling and waving to him, Jaehwan at his shoulder looking gleeful.

“Wonshik already told me who you are.” Roommate said. “It’s nice to meet you, Hongbin-ssi. I’m Sanghyuk.” Roommate — no, Sanghyuk — said brightly.

_ Right. Sanghyuk. Hansung second year. Computer guy. _

Hongbin assembled the facts in his brain as he was still trying to process how cute the guy was. He was no Hakyeon — Hakyeon was a true flower boy — but he was still  _ cute.  _ Cute nose, cute chin, cute smile that turned his eyes into little crescents. Cute tousled brown hair and surprisingly sun-kissed skin for a guy who worked with computers most of the time.

But. Wow. His body was definitely  _ not  _ cute. Hongbin flicked his eyes away from the six-foot toned frame that boasted hours at the gym back up to the equally distracting cute face.

He was so, so fucked.

“Hongbin made this cake for you as a welcome gift!” Jaehwan announced, pointing to the pristine little cake. “I hope you’re not allergic to apricot. It’s  _ sachertorte _ .”

Sanghyuk smiled politely, the look of someone who clearly had no idea what that was but would inevitably Google it later. “That’s really kind of you, Hongbin-ssi. Thank you so much.”

Hongbin just. Stared. He looked like an idiot, but he was too busy wondering how in hell’s name he’d hit the roommate jackpot. Here he was, thinking Sanghyuk would’ve been some scrawny nerd kid. Why hadn’t anyone warned him about this...this...guy?

Oh. Sanghyuk was extending his hand towards him. Sanghyuk was saying something along the lines of  _ I promise I’ll be a good roommate  _ before Hongbin was automatically shaking his hand back, still staring dumbly.

“Try the cake!” Jaehwan urged Sanghyuk, magically brandishing a fork from out of thin air and extending it towards him. “Don’t worry about slices. Hongbin’s not about that proportion life.”

Hongbin just watched as Sanghyuk took the fork, a little apprehensive; probably because of Jaehwan’s overenthusiastic nature. Jaehwan loved new people (too much). 

Sanghyuk lowered the fork into the cake, a dainty little bite of chocolate and apricot jam pulling away onto the tongs. A small voice in Hongbin’s head began to panic, because oh shit, what if Sanghyuk  _ was  _ allergic to apricots, or he thought it was too chocolate-y, and damn Hongbin should have test-tasted it earlier, he knew he shouldn’t have let Jaehwan wheedle him into this —

Sanghyuk put the fork into his mouth. Drew it out, leaving the cake behind in his mouth. Chewed slowly. Eyes going wide.

Even Jaehwan looked a little nervous as their anticipation hung in the air.

“This…” Sanghyuk said slowly, looking down at the cake. 

“It’s okay if you don’t like it.” Hongbin blurted out, at last. Sanghyuk looked up, startled. “I just — Jaehwan suggested we make it and I don’t know if it’s any good because baking’s  _ his  _ thing, not mine —”

“What? Are you kidding?” Sanghyuk exclaimed, waving his fork. “This isn’t bad at all? Excuse me if I curse, but it’s fucking  _ amazing.  _ I don’t even know how to pronounce the name of this —”

“ _ Sachertorte _ .” Jaehwan supplied helpfully. Sanghyuk tipped his fork in acknowledgement.

“—but this is the best thing I’ve eaten all week. Probably all month. You’re really too kind for making this.” 

Hongbin couldn’t stop staring. At the ridiculously adorable grin on Sanghyuk’s face, the tiniest smudge of chocolate icing on his top lip. “Oh.” He managed to choke out after a long while. “Thank you. For thinking so.”

Sanghyuk’s happy grin imprinted itself into Hongbin’s mind, a warmth seeping in between the cracks and nestling in to make a home.

A silence settled between the two of them, where Sanghyuk continued to smile and turn Hongbin’s insides into a melted mess.  _ Think of the dog, you only wanted a roommate so you could get the dog, maybe a cat too, think of the cat the dog the dog the dog — _

Jaehwan, his saving grace, swooped in with a warm smile, tearing Sanghyuk’s attention away. “He’s always talking about how he’s shit at baking, but he’s honestly not bad.” Jaehwan said lightly, grabbing a fork for himself. “You’ve never heard of  _ sachertorte _ , right? It’s a specialty of Vienna, Austria, and there’s apricot jam inside a chocolate cake…”

And while Jaehwan was chatting up the new roommate, he gave Hongbin a knowing look that only confirmed what they both knew.

Hongbin was completely, totally fucked.

* * *

 

Sanghyuk settled in at an alarmingly fast rate.

Within days, the apartment already seemed to have been lived in by the two of them for years, side by side. Sanghyuk’s gaming systems were already hooked up to the television, his room was already getting messy, and the single shared bathroom already held all of Sanghyuk’s essentials alongside Hongbin’s like they were meant to be there all along.

And if Sanghyuk had any lingering doubts about the new arrangement, Hongbin’s new habit seemed to blow them out of the water.

Because a mere two days after Sanghyuk had moved in, he’d come home from his classes to see steaming plates of  _ something  _ on the table, with Hongbin wiping his hands off on his jeans. 

Then the scent had hit him, and he’d gravitated towards the kitchen like a moth to a flame. In the dishes he saw carrots, onions, mushrooms, and cubes of beef in some sort of stew. Just the sight and smell alone had had him nearly drooling. “What —”

“ _ Boef bourguignon.”  _ Hongbin had said, the words rolling smoothly off his tongue. He’d been looking intently into one of the dishes, eyebrows furrowed. “It’s a French dish. Beef braised in red wine.” He’d given Sanghyuk a passing glance, looking almost bored. “Like I told you before, baking’s not my thing. That cake was a one-time gift. Savory stuff is more my forte.” 

Sanghyuk looked down at the steaming plates and tried not to let his stomach growl. That  _ smell.  _ “So what’s this?”

“This —” Hongbin gestured towards the dishes in a broad sweep. “—is my latest project. Since you live here now, I figured you could taste-test my stuff. Jaehwan’s taste is too unrefined to provide a reliable opinion.”

Sanghyuk had reflected on the numerous cup ramens he’d eaten as a luxury dinner the past two years, and pasted on a smile. “Huh.” A thought had randomly hit him, and he had frowned. “Wait, sorry to be off-topic, but why’d you ask me in the e-mails before if I was allergic to dogs?”

A flush had colored Hongbin’s face right down to his neck, before he’d ducked away and nearly flung a spoon in Sanghyuk’s direction. “Do you want to try it or not?”

Sanghyuk had dropped the question. It wasn’t important, anyway. Not when Sanghyuk had inhaled a spoonful of the bourgo-whatever and had instantly ascended into heaven. 

And he’d experience heaven again and again, because after that, Hongbin started cooking dinner every day.

Sanghyuk would always come home from classes for three hours before he’d go to fulfill his duties at the convenience store. By the time he’d come back home, he’d always smell something incredible and see Hongbin presenting him with another masterpiece. Hongbin wanted to open his own restaurant, he’d learned during one of their dinner chats, and Sanghyuk had no doubt he could do it. Because every single dish Hongbin threw at him, Sanghyuk had no criticisms. Even though Hongbin was only feeding him to get constructive feedback, the only things Sanghyuk managed to say through mouthfuls were simply, “ _ It’s really good.” _

And for some reason, Hongbin had never pressured him for more details. He’d just nod and start wiping down the table.

The dish was always different. Sometimes, if they watched a movie together, it’d inspire Hongbin to recreate one of the dishes, like the time he’d made ratatouille. Sometimes Hongbin would make something reminiscent of Sanghyuk’s mom’s cooking: soybean paste stew, cold buckwheat noodles, friend intestines. And sometimes Hongbin’s food was just plain extravagant, the presentation itself Instagram-worthy. Sanghyuk couldn’t even pronounce most of the food Hongbin had prepared.

True to his word, Hongbin hadn’t baked since the first day, but Jaehwan swung by often, and always with some sort of dessert. One day, a very familiar face arrived next to Jaehwan.

“Cha Hakyeon?” Sanghyuk wheezed, nearly falling off the sofa. He and Hongbin had been playing a round of Mario Kart on the TV, since it was his day off. Hongbin didn’t even look up from the screen as his character whizzed through the finish line.

“I win.” Hongbin announced with little fanfare. “And also, there’s a doorbell for a reason, Hakyeon-hyung.”

“Aren’t you happy to see me, my little Kong?” Sanghyuk gaped as Cha Hakyeon — as in  _ the  _ Cha Hakyeon, golden skin and tousled black hair and dancer’s body and all — strode into the living room with a huge grin. Clinging to his arm was none other than Jaehwan, looking happier than usual.

“So this is the new roomie!” Hakyeon turned to Sanghyuk, extending a hand. “I’m Hakyeon, Jaehwan’s boyfriend and Hongbin’s part-time mother.”

Hongbin snorted. “You wish.” He muttered darkly as Sanghyuk, frazzled, shook Hakyeon’s hand.

“I’m Han Sanghyuk.” He stammered, with Hakyeon waving him off.

“I know who you are. Hongbin talks about you all the damn time.” Hakyeon said teasingly. Sanghyuk could’ve sworn Hongbin froze up, just a little bit, next to him. 

“Hakyeon-hyung has a habit of overexaggerating everything.” Jaehwan piped up, tightening his grip on Hakyeon’s arm. “And I told him about you first. That you’re his fan.”

“I’m not —” Sanghyuk stammered. He drifted off at the amused smile Hakyeon was giving him.

“It’s cute. No, really! The fact that you even knew who Jaehwan was impresses me.” Hakyeon said, sliding an arm not-so-subtly around Jaehwan’s waist. Next to Sanghyuk, Hongbin mimed a gagging noise.

“That’s not impressive. He’s in every single one of your damn vlogs and you write ‘for my Jyani’ in the description of all your dancing videos.” Hongbin said as he rebooted the game. 

“Hey, you!” Jaehwan suddenly shouted, pointing a finger at Hongbin. Sanghyuk jumped in his seat. “Stop trying to be such a tsundere! I brought you a bundt cake and  _ this  _ is how you repay me? Plus, I could expose you  _ so hard  _ right now —”

Jaehwan and Hongbin descended into another bickering fit as Hakyeon looked on with an air of amusement. Sanghyuk sat back and watched the chaos unfold, but he didn’t miss the way how Hakyeon looked at Jaehwan in a certain way. How Hakyeon’s arm never left Jaehwan’s waist, a small smile playing on his lips.

Sanghyuk looked away quickly, clearing his throat.

(Because some small part of Sanghyuk felt that, sometimes, Hongbin looked at him the same way whenever he ate his food and smiled).

* * *

 

Eventually, Sanghyuk didn’t come home only anticipating Hongbin’s newest dish.

The fantasies of another culinary masterpiece started becoming intermingled with snapshots of Hongbin, his rare smiles and laughs. Because during those times when he and Hongbin were home together and it wasn’t quite time for dinner yet, they always played games together. And after the games were over, they’d flop down on the floor and talk and talk and talk and Sanghyuk could laugh forever at Hongbin’s sharp wit and sarcasm. 

And when it  _ was  _ dinner and Hongbin was waiting for him with food, Sanghyuk’s heart beat just a little faster from the warmth in Hongbin’s eyes that was only reserved for those special moments. His food was amazing as always, but Sanghyuk found himself getting distracted by his and Hongbin’s conversations, laughing too much to get any real eating done.

And on some nights, he’d creep over to Hongbin’s bed and they’d talk until the morning about everything and nothing, and Hongbin had never once shooed him out. Hongbin, as cold as he was on the exterior, had shown Sanghyuk nothing but warmth.

And at some point, Sanghyuk’s new house felt like a real home, less because of the food waiting for him and more because of the man who made it and lived alongside him.

“Oh my God.” Wonshik said sympathetically when Sanghyuk told him everything, sprawled out on Wonshik’s bed. “You’re so fucked.”

“Yeah.” Sanghyuk agreed listlessly.

Pause. “Maybe it’s not such a bad thing.” Wonshik added as an afterthought, going back to his phone.

A small, secret smile crept onto Sanghyuk’s face. “Yeah.” He repeated.

This time differently.

* * *

 

“I want to do something for Hongbin on Valentine’s Day.” Sanghyuk said confidently.

Jaehwan paused, giving Sanghyuk a shifty side-eye as his hands paused in their work. “You want to what now?” He squawked, disbelieving. 

Hakyeon’s shout of laughter echoed from the living room. “Good luck with that!” Hakyeon called, continuing to edit his newest video on his laptop. Sanghyuk had been frequenting the couple’s apartment more often lately, since Hongbin was so busy with his evaluations at school. Plus, Hakyeon and Jaehwan made good company (even  _ if  _ Hakyeon always whined about how Sanghyuk never let him film his face for his vlogs).

Sanghyuk squinted at Jaehwan, who continued to sprinkle powdered sugar on top of a freshly baked Japanese-style vanilla soufflé. “Why? What’s wrong with that?”

Jaehwan shrugged. “Just ‘cuz Hongbin’s the biggest Valentine’s Day anti in the world. He basically pretends it doesn’t exist.”

“Why? Did something happen?” Sanghyuk asked, concerned.

“I mean, no. He’s just weird. Always stays home on V-Day.” Jaehwan said as he gently poked the top of his creation with a spoon.

“What if I just do something as a friend?” Sanghyuk said, heart painfully pattering against his ribcage. “You know. Just a small gift, or something.”

“As a friend…” Jaehwan narrowed his eyes, and Sanghyuk thought he was thinking of what to say next. But Jaehwan was only assessing his baked creation before nodding decisively. “Yes. Good. I got it right this time.”

Sanghyuk wiggled his fingers in front of Jaehwan’s eyes, rolling his eyes. It wasn’t hard to see why Hongbin and Jaehwan were friends. They both got lost in their thoughts easily. “Hello?”

“Yeah, yeah, eat this first.” Jaehwan sunk a spoon into the soufflé before holding it out to Sanghyuk. Sanghyuk let Jaehwan feed him without complaints, and for a strange reason, a scenario of Hongbin doing the same thing played out in his head. Sanghyuk chewed aggressively, letting the sweet fluffy vanilla melt in his mouth and simmer his unnecessary thoughts away.

“Good?” Jaehwan prodded. Sanghyuk nodded silently, and Jaehwan rolled his eyes.

“Hakyeon! Try this!” Jaehwan shouted, looking critical once more of his work.

“What? Why? It’s good!” Sanghyuk insisted as Hakyeon groaned from the living room.

“You’ve said that with everything I’ve made. No wonder Hongbin always asks me first.” Jaehwan said, shaking his head as Hakyeon plodded into the kitchen looking bleary-eyed. Sanghyuk glanced away at the softness in Jaehwan’s eyes.  _ Couples. _

Sanghyuk scowled. “Well, I don’t — wait.” He tilted his head, ignoring how Jaehwan fed Hakyeon a bite with a disgusting kissy-face. “What do you mean? Asks you first?”

“One question at a time! Also, Yeonnie, take a break, your eyes are gonna go blind if you keep staring at your computer.” Jaehwan said liltingly as Hakyeon chewed, nodding with a murmured, “ _ good”.  _ Jaehwan grinned, seeming satisfied with the answer.

Sanghyuk spluttered. “What, so  _ that’s  _ good enough for you? I said the same thing!”

“The difference is, I like you, but I _like like_ Hakyeon.” Jaehwan said, twirling his spoon. “With you, a friend, I’m always gonna ask you first because I need actual critique. So that when I give it to Hakyeonnie, it’s good enough. And all that matters, rather than what he says, is that it makes him happy.” Jaehwan beamed, adoration in his eyes as he poked Hakyeon’s cheek. “That’s why I’m always baking at home. I love Hakyeonnie that much.”

There was a heavy silence in the air. Sanghyuk only stared at Jaehwan, and Jaehwan stared back with a innocent expression. Hakyeon had frozen mid-chew across the counter, watching their stare-off with trepidation.

Sanghyuk scoffed, then. “You two are so  _ disgustingly  _ domestic.” He said as Hakyeon’s two toy poodles, Yeoreum and Bom, pranced into the room. “The only reason I’ll ever come over anymore is for your dogs.” He said as he squatted down to play with the pups.

He didn’t see Hakyeon give Jaehwan a warning look, and Jaehwan giving Hakyeon a devilish grin.

“Well,” Jaehwan said slowly. “Good thing you don’t have a dog allergy, then.”

Sanghyuk snorted. “What are you —”

And then suddenly his brain actually started to work. 

Dog allergy. Hongbin had asked him that in the first e-mail, but they’d promptly forgotten about it.  _ What was that even about? _

“You know,” Jaehwan continued, at a louder than necessary volume. “Hongbin’s always wanted a dog, too. But he’s always too busy. Always said he needed someone home to take care of the dog. Wonder why he still didn’t adopt one, then. Maybe something...distracted him?”

Sanghyuk was staring at the floor, trying to assemble the pieces of something, a thing, a thing that should’ve been very, very important.

“Probably because he’s cooking at home so often.” Jaehwan’s voice floated into his ears from above. “Weird. He used to  _ never  _ cook at home.”

Sanghyuk’s mind was running at a mile a minute. Hongbin asked if he had a dog allergy but didn’t even own dogs. He wanted to get one, but he needed someone at home to —

No wonder he’d been so suspiciously willing about the rooming arrangements.

Sanghyuk’s eyebrows furrowed. So what stopped him from getting a dog?

Jaehwan’s words bounced around in his head like a taunt. Sanghyuk reached desperately for key phrases, trying to put the puzzle together.

 

_ Maybe something...distracted him? _

_ He used to never cook at home. _

_ No wonder Hongbin always asks me first. _

_ With you, a friend, I’m always gonna ask you first. _

_ All that matters...is that it makes him happy. _

_ That’s why I’m always baking at home. I love Hakyeonnie that much. _

 

Sanghyuk frantically remembered all the times Hongbin had cooked, all the different dishes he’d made. That time he’d made the ratatouille — they’d watched a movie together the night before and Sanghyuk had mentioned how it looked good. Then, the traditional Korean dishes — that’d been when Sanghyuk had expressed homesickness, or missing family. And every single time Sanghyuk had eaten anything Hongbin had made for him, he’d smiled up at Hongbin with a simple “ _ It’s good”. _

And Hongbin, even though he’d claimed he’d needed Sanghyuk’s critique on his work, had always been satisfied with his answer.

Sanghyuk’s jaw was almost to the floor.

“ _ Yes.”  _ He heard Jaehwan say triumphantly. “I knew he’d come around eventually.”

“Hongbin’s going to murder you.” Hakyeon said drily.

“Worth it.” Jaehwan said gleefully as Sanghyuk slowly rose to his feet, Bom and Yeoreum looking up at him expectantly.

“What.” Sanghyuk said, voice faint.

Jaehwan perched his elbows on the table, smiling uncontrollably. “Every time you went to work, Hongbin would come over and make something. I almost shit my pants when he actually attempted to make ratatouille and the bourguignon. He always asked me and Hakyeon to try it first, but mostly me. He wanted it to be perfect so he could make it again later.”

“But why?” Sanghyuk’s mouth forced out the words, still reeling.

Jaehwan’s eyebrows were sky-high as he tilted his head. “Why do  _ you  _ think, genius?”

Hongbin had always insisted that he was making food for Sanghyuk to try. But, if Jaehwan and Hakyeon were already trying it first...and Hongbin had never actually pressured him for any real critique —

Even Hakyeon looked delighted as Jaehwan dug his spoon into the soufflé. “My work here is done.” Jaehwan said. “I suppose you know what to do for Valentine’s Day now.”

Sanghyuk was grinning before he even realized it, a healthy warmth spreading all the way down to his toes. “You’re damn right I do.”

* * *

 

Sanghyuk crashed at Hakyeon and Jaehwan’s for the night, and woke up extra early with a grin. Yesterday had been the last day of Hongbin’s evaluations. He would be home all day today, no doubt.

Being careful not to wake Hakyeon and Jaehwan, Sanghyuk left the apartment quietly before catching a taxi back to his and Hongbin’s flat. When he burst through the door, he caught Hongbin (still in his Overwatch pajama pants) at the counter hunching over something.

Hongbin whirled around, terror on his face as Sanghyuk approached. “Sanghyuk!” He yelped, voice an octave too high as he shielded whatever was on the counter with his body. “Listen, I know you said you wanted to do some stupid shit for Valentine’s Day, and I dunno if Jaehwan told you, but I don’t believe in the holiday and also  _ why are you back so early?  _ I thought you were —”

Sanghyuk didn’t give Hongbin a chance to finish his rambling, because he only grinned down at Hongbin, full of affection and new understanding, before grabbing the collar of his t-shirt. Hongbin only had time to close his mouth swiftly in surprise before Sanghyuk was pulling him in and kissing him soundly on the lips.

Hongbin’s hands were still in fists at his sides, even as Sanghyuk’s arms encircled Hongbin’s waist and pulled him flush against his chest. Sanghyuk kissed him deeply, gently, delighting in the feeling of Hongbin’s pretty narrow waist in his arms and the way Hongbin was shaking, ever so slightly, against him. He kissed him chastely, again and again, until he could finally feel him relax in his arms. Hongbin, tentatively, placed his hands on Sanghyuk’s arms as Sanghyuk pressed him against the edge of the counter, Hongbin sighing softly into his mouth.

And even though Hongbin had mentioned many times that he didn’t bake, that sweet things weren’t for his palate, he tasted like vanilla and strawberries. 

When Sanghyuk finally pulled away, arms still encircling Hongbin’s waist, Hongbin’s cheeks were tinted red. Sanghyuk giggled, releasing his waist to capture Hongbin’s face in his hands instead. “Happy Valentine’s Day?” 

Hongbin opened his mouth. Closed it. “What the fuck, Sanghyuk.” He said flatly. Then, “What the  _ fuck.”  _ Hongbin slapped Sanghyuk’s hands away, scowling. “It was Jaehwan, wasn’t it?”

Sanghyuk shrugged, coy. Hongbin gave him a flat look. “How much did he tell you?” Hongbin said, eyes promising murder.

Sanghyuk pretended to think as he stepped closer, Hongbin looking up at him stonily. “He did tell me that you were a big Valentine’s Day hater.” He said thoughtfully.

“I don’t hate it. It just doesn’t exist to me.” Hongbin retorted.

“Then what’s this?” Before Hongbin could stop him, Sanghyuk reached around Hongbin to slide the plate closer to him.

Hongbin reached out desperately, trying to hide it again. “Sanghyuk —”

But there was no taking back the lopsided, chocolate-covered round cake on top of the plate, sagging in an odd place. There was a ring of dark chocolate truffles on the top, and shakily written in white chocolate were the words  _ Happy Valentine’s Day. _

“ _ Sachertorte _ .”Sanghyuk breathed, nostalgia hitting him in a rush. The speechless, shy Hongbin from nearly six months ago now stood in front of him as a flustered, stoic Hongbin who was looking anywhere but Sanghyuk’s face.

“At least you can pronounce it now.” Hongbin muttered. 

Sanghyuk chortled. “Good thing I’m not allergic to apricots, right?”

Hongbin shuffled his feet. “Listen,” He said, voice very small. “I told you before that baking’s not my thing, it’s Jaehwan’s, and it’s the first time I’ve tried to make this without his help —”

Sanghyuk dropped a slow, sweet kiss on Hongbin’s forehead, which promptly shut him up. Hongbin wavered uncertainly, still looking anxious, so Sanghyuk drew him into a hug.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Hongbin.” Sanghyuk said. He grinned as he felt Hongbin tense against him, before finally relaxing and nestling his cheek against Sanghyuk’s shoulder. 

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Sanghyuk.” Hongbin said, at last, begrudgingly.

For a long while, Sanghyuk held him, waiting for Hongbin’s frantic heartbeat to slow and even out as Hongbin accepted his reality —  _ this _ reality, with Sanghyuk holding him and kissing him slow.

“So, uh.” Hongbin finally said, voice muffled by Sanghyuk’s shirt. “What else did Jaehwan tell you?”

Sanghyuk hummed, pulling away to see Hongbin’s face again, just because. “Well, when do you wanna get that dog, hm?”

Hongbin hung his head, huffing out a  _ “fuck me”  _ as Sanghyuk laughed again, full of warmth and affection and unadulterated love.

He was really going to kill Jaehwan, Hongbin decided as a smile broke out onto his own face, before he was laughing along with Sanghyuk, full of light and warmth.

 

...But maybe he’d have to thank him first.

**Author's Note:**

> this is the result of watching too many cooking asmr videos.  
> special thanks to mother maru <3 make sure to check out her works @gowonseden on twt, mad talent yo <333 love u


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